Here we go again
by 0zer0
Summary: Post season three 'fix it' story. Myka, Pete, and Artie use the stop watch but will pay a high price to change fate. Had to get this posted before season 4 starts and this story dies a quiet death on my hard drive
1. Chapter 1

Here we go again...

Chapter 1

"We lost Artie. We lost."

Myka could barely hear Pete's words of defeat past her own chaotic thoughts. All she could do was stare at the ruins around her unable to process what she knew to be true. Helena was gone. The warehouse was gone. She could not think about what to do next as her mind had not yet caught up to what had happened.

"Not yet."

Artie's voice however caught her attention. There was a tone of hopefulness far out of proportion for the situation they were in. Turning she took a step toward him. "What? What?"

Pete too had noted Artie's tone and approached the man's other side till all three of them were staring at the pocket watch in Artie's hand.

No words or directions needed Pete and Myka gripped the pocket watch chain with one hand but Artie paused with his hand hovering over the knob. "I don't know if we will survive this..."

"But we could fix it all? There is a chance?" Myka's face had taken on a hard expression and only needed the small nod from Artie to set her on this course consequences be damned. "Then we try." Her eyes tracked to Pete who only nodded his head in agreement. Still willing to die beside her if need be.

Their silent pact made Artie carefully began dialing the hour hand backward. All around them things began rapidly moving in a reverse explosion till the warehouse, and everyone in it were back in one piece. Unable to resist, Myka looked over her shoulder and caught a quick glimpse of HG before their small group reversed their steps and disappeared from the warehouse floor. Artie didn't stop till they were a full 48 hours in the past and all around them were the dim lights of the warehouse and silence.

The moment Artie pressed stop on the watch all three fell to the ground if they had been hit by an invisible force. For a moment Myka could only lay still trying not to throw up, but quickly rolled to her hands and knees and crawled to Pete's side where he too was trying not to be sick. "Just breath Pete. Breath."

After a minute they both looked up to see Artie already on his feet and impatiently indicating they should get moving. Getting to their feet Pete and Myka followed while Artie gave instructions as he led them toward the exit. "Number one rule: we can not interact with ourselves! Got it?" He glared sternly at his companions. At their nod of agreement he opened his mouth to continue but Myka pulled him up short with a hand on his arm.

"Wait! Artie, I thought we couldn't change the past?"

Before he could speak a calm voice interjected. "Right now it isn't the past Agent Bering." The quiet voice of Mrs. Frederick caused all three of them to jump in surprise. "For me, and everyone else here our future is unwritten." The warehouse caretaker emerged from the shadows of a nearby artifact isle. "And you three have already begun to cease to exist."

"What?" Pete did not sound pleased. "I don't want to not exist Mrs. F!"

"Mrs. Fredrick..." Artie sounded a little like Claudia having been caught fiddling with something she wasn't supposed to, but the older woman just held up her hand to stop him.

"I assume the situation was very dire for you to take such actions Agent Nielsen." Mrs. Fredrick eyed the stopwatch in his hand indicating she knew exactly what he had done.

At this both Myka and Pete jumped in explaining in a jumble the disaster they were trying to prevent with a few pointed additions from Artie. When they finished Mrs. Frederick remained as unperturbed as ever as if they had just told her they spilled some milk and not that everything they knew had just been destroyed.

"Follow me." Mrs. Fredrick then led them to the side exit of the warehouse. Once outside they were surprised to see her black town car waiting as if the driver had planned on picking them up there all along.

Once in the car they began making plans knowing they would not be able to use any of the tools or resources they normally had at their disposal. And that time was limited.

"I think we should attempt to disrupt Sykes' plan from all angles. If just one piece falls apart we have him." Artie laid out his plan, "Pete, I want you to go to the Regent bank and swap out a fake Janus Coin so that when Steve arrives they can take it back to Sykes leading us to his whereabouts. As a precaution, Myka I want you to go to Lincoln and take Emily Lake into protective custody."

Pete was nervous about splitting up. "And what will you be doing Artie? Cause I don't think we should separate..."

Myka touched his shoulder. "We are already in this together Pete. But it improves our odds of succeeding and not losing the warehouse and-" She swallowed hard before adding the names to the list of losses, "Helena and Steve.

Pete grimaced and turned to Artie, "And what will you be doing Artie?"

As the car pulled to a stop at the nearby airport he answered, "I'm going to see a man about a cannon."

They piled out of Mrs. Fredrick's car each set on their individual mission with a common purpose. They were going to save their home and their family.

As the three time travelers disappeared behind sliding glass doors Mrs. Fredrick raised a shaky hand to her face. She was not sure the three of them knew how great their sacrifice was going to be, but the moment they had utilized the pocket watch they had sealed their fate. She could only hope their sacrifice would not be in vain.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Feeling an extreme case of deju vu, Myka parked her rental car across the street from a side entrance into Lincoln High School where Emily Lake taught. She had been on the move for over 48 hours counting their little time slip but could not stop now despite starting to feel frayed. The other Pete and Myka would be arriving that afternoon and she had to get Emily out of town before then. Sneaking in the side door she was glad the school seemed to have minimum security. Their first time here she and Pete had shown their badges at the main office and were given cart blanche to look around. If she did that this time it would mess things up and set off red flags for the other Pete and Myka which might lead to them investigating things further. They needed their other selves to give up the chase.

They would not find themselves shocked to discover H.G. Wells happily teaching high school literature. There would be no emotional discussion in the woods about destroying HG's memories on the Janus Coin. No Claudia to comfort at the sight of Steve dying for no reason. No terrifying reunion in China. No last minute desperate attempt to disarm the bomb that would destroy Warehouse 13. And Helena would still be alive.

Climbing the stairs to the second floor Myka wondered for the thousandth time what her other self would experience instead. The thoughts, as always, only adding to her headache and distracting her from the task at hand.

Refocusing herself, Myka walked past the milling students dragging their feet before entering their first class of the day and headed strait for Emily's classroom. Entering the open door she was again struck by the absurdity of HG as mild mannered High School teacher. The woman sat at her desk sorting through papers obviously preparing for her first class. The green cardigan and pony tail clashing with Myka's mental picture of who she thought this woman was. "Excuse me, Ms. Lake?"

Emily quickly looked up and smiled at her visitor. "Hello. Can I help you?"

Walking toward the desk in back Myka pulled her badge from her back pocket. "Hello Ms. Lake. My name is Myka Bering and I'm an agent with the United States Secret Service. I know this is going to sound strange, but I need you to come with me right now."

Emily's friendly look immediately shifted to confused wariness. "I'm sorry, there must be some kind of mistake. I'm about to start class..."

Myka interrupted as the other woman continued to shake her head. "There's no mistake ma'am. And I really need you to come with me. Right now." Worry, fatigue, and generally being pushed to the edge of what one human being could endure added a sharp edge to Myka's tone that she didn't intend.

There must have been something in her voice or face though that Emily could read because the other woman stood up as she reached for her purse in the top drawer of her desk. "I'll need to stop by the office and tell them-"

Knowing they didn't have much time Myka took the other woman's elbow and began propelling them out the door. "Call them from from the car."

"What! No, I don't think so Ms...?"

"Agent Bering."

"Agent Bering. I can't just walk out like this!"

Knowing she couldn't be seen by the office personnel who would meet another Myka Bering in a few hours, Myka tightened her hold on Emily's arm as she steered them both toward the side exit. "I insist Ms. Lake."

"This... you!" Emily was starting to drag her feet pulling away from Myka's commanding touch just as they exited the building. "I really don't know what could be of such importance that you would need to drag me away like this! I haven't done anything!"

Having had a long drive to figure out a plan Myka pulled up short and started spinning her tale. "Ms. Lake, you have recently had a serious injury causing severe memory loss. Correct?"

This brought Emily's attempts to pull away from the agent to a halt. That faint worry that the gray wall separating her from her own memories hid unspoken dangers reared its head. "Yes."

"Then you are going to have to trust me when I tell you that some people from your past, people who would use you to do very bad things, are coming to find you. Today. And my job, Ms. Lake, is to take you into custody until they have been apprehended." Feeling horrible for the terror creeping across the other woman's face Myka gentled her tone. "I promise you Ms. Lake. I am here to protect you, and my partner whom I trust with my life, is going to stop those people. When he does I will bring you back here." Feeling the fight go out of Emily, Myka began pulling the woman toward her car.

As they drove away Emily made a brief if confusing call to the school saying she had left sick and someone would need to cover her class room. Fortunately it was a Friday and she assured the secretary that she would most likely be fine by Monday. After hanging up she glared at Myka. "I will be fine by Monday right?"

"I hope so Ms. Lake. I hope so."

The words did not seem to comfort either of them as Emily shifted forward in her seat noting they were headed out of town. "Wait! I need to go by my apartment!"

"No. They may be watching your place already."

This statement stunned Emily, but she pressed on. "But Dickens will need food, and I can pack a bag..."

Myka grimaced. "Right. The cat. Is there someone you can call to feed him?"

Emily's bland "No, not really.", caused a knot to form in Myka's stomach. Helena may have been given a new identity but she hadn't really been given a new life with people that would care about her. People that made you feel anchored to this world. The distressed look on her passengers face did nothing to make Myka feel better.

"Wait. You know who Dickens is?" Emily's face had shifted from sadness to shrewd in a flash. "Just how much do you know about me Agent Bering?"

Myka answered honestly before she thought better of it. "Probably more than you know about yourself."

Emily's mouth dropped open and then her face started to flush with anger. "I'm not sure I am liking this situation. I want to speak to your superiors."

Myka shook her head. "I'm sorry. That isn't possible."

"Excuse me?" Emily began fumbling for her cell phone. "This is starting to feel more like a kidnapping than protection!"

Myka quickly pulled over and put the car in park. Snagging the phone out of Emily's hand before the woman could begin to dial she shut it off and popped off the back cover. Extracting the sim card she snapped it in half before meeting her passengers shocked gaze. "Ms. Lake I intend to protect you. And if I have to handcuff you and hide you in the trunk to do that I will, but this will all go a lot easier if you work with me." Seeing anger flashing in dark eyes Myka continued in a gentler tone. "Please... Emily. You are going to have to trust me. Just for a few days. Okay?"

Emily may have had Helena's memories stripped away, but her innate intelligence remained. She stared shrewdly at Myka a moment before speaking. "I can presume that your superiors don't know what you are up to?" Emily didn't need Myka's mumbled yes to confirm her suspicions. "And can I also assume that you... knew me. Before the accident?" Again Myka gave quiet confirmation. "Then I will make a deal with you Agent Bering. I will co-operate fully over the next few days if YOU share what you know about my past with me."

Feeling like she was about to make a deal with the devil Myka hedged, "You have to understand. Many things are classified information..."

"Its MY past! Mine!" Emily normally considered herself to be a very mild mannered person, but then again this virtual stranger had admitted she knew things Emily didn't about herself. Those gaps in her memory that haunted Emily on quiet nights with just her and her cat and an overwhelming sense that she was supposed to be doing something more.

The anger that flashed on Emily's face surprised Myka and she spoke quickly to calm the other woman down. "I know! I know Emily." Feeling the emotions of everything catching up to her Myka tried to speak past the lump in her throat. "I only found out you were here a few days ago. If I had known-" Myka cut herself off. If she had known what would she have done? Come for a visit? Started up a friendship? Insisted the Regents give Helena back her memories? Stole the Janus Coin herself?

Emily could see the crack in Myka's control and it helped her reassert her own. "Then do we have a deal Agent Bering? A bit of quid pro quo?"

The simple phrase was like a punch in the gut to Myka. She swore she could hear hints of a British accent in Emily's words. "There will be things I can't tell you..."

"Fair enough. There will be limits on how long I am willing to be swept away on this adventure as well." Emily held Myka's gaze with steely resolve.

Nodding her head Myka put the car in gear and merge back into traffic. They drove in silence for a few minutes before Emily exclaimed loudly beside her once again.

"Wait! We still have to go back to my apartment. Dickens..."

"Can he last a few days?"

Emily frowned. "He has dry food..."

Glancing quickly to her passenger Myka spoke urgently. "Please believe me when I say it is a matter of life and death for you and I to get out of town right now. Short of his expiring, and even then, it is not worth our going back to your place right now."

Emily swallowed visibly as the enormity of what Myka was saying to her seemed to finally sink in. In a small voice she conceded, "He will probably be fine for a few days."

"Good." Myka flashed a small smile before lapsing into silence as she reached the on ramp for the expressway. She had a destination in mind that neither Pete or Artie knew about and they had a long drive ahead of them.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

They drove in silence for a few miles. Myka trying to stay focused and ignore the surreptitious glances cast her way by her passenger, but exhaustion was catching up with her and she felt like she was holding on by a thread.

"Sooo... tell me about myself." Emily could no longer hold back. She had been turning questions over and over in her mind. Not about where they were headed or what evil was apparently chasing them. No, she was utterly focused on the never ending mystery of her own personal memory puzzle. She was actually quite happy about this turn of events. As long as she didn't think too much about the amount of danger they must be in for Agent Bering to be taking the actions she was. She also didn't over analyze why she was so trusting of someone she had just met thinking that it must be their past association even if she couldn't remember it.

Myka's hands tightened on the wheel. "What do you want to know?"

Before Emily could say anything a muffled ringing came from Myka's coat. Pulling out the cheap pay-as-you-go cell phone she had bought to stay in touch with Artie and Pete until they could resume their regular forms of communication she quickly answered it. "Hi Pete. Yeah, I've got her. Where are you guys?"

Emily listened to the one sided conversation with undisguised curiosity.

"That's good. No. I'm running on fumes and red bull here." Myka gave a light laugh that caused Emily to smile. "Yes, and strawberry Twizzlers." There was more silence as she listened to Pete fill her in on their plan to follow Steve after he took the fake Janus coin back to Sykes. "Good. Stay close. We can't lose him again. Claudia-" Myka cut herself off and glanced over to her passenger. "We were all devastated by the loses. We have to make it work this time Pete."

Their conversation ended quickly after that and Myka continued to drive in silence without looking over at Emily.

Feeling awkward at the intensity of emotion clearly coming off the other woman Emily shifted in her seat trying to think of something benign to talk about, but all her brain could do was circle around all the mysteries surrounding her. Fiddling with the phone in her lap she picked up the broken sim chip. "You didn't have to break it."

Myka glanced over briefly. "I'm sorry."

The tight words made Emily frown. Glancing around she picked up a small bag on the floor and opened it to find two empty red bull cans and a half eaten sandwich. Tossing the broken pieces in the bag she returned it to the floor. "You really are running on red bull. How long have you been... awake." She had almost said 'on the run' but feared it might upset the other woman.

Myka just shook her head. "I'm fine."

"I could drive..."

Myka did a double take. Helena had not been much of a driver. Not that she hadn't liked the lessons given on back roads of South Dakota. It was her instructors who found the experience a bit too hair raising to enjoy. "I'm fine."

"Agent Bering, you are trying to save my life correct?" Getting a quiet yes in response, Emily continued, "Then what would be the point of killing us both when you drive off the road in exhaustion?"

"Can you drive?"

Emily raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Of course I can drive! Who lives in Wyoming and can't drive for god-sakes?"

The indignation was so Helena that Myka started to laugh and then, much to her dismay, cry. Utterly embarrassed at the tears she quickly wiped her face and tried to reign her emotions back in.

Heart twisting at the obvious pain on her companion's face Emily reached out and squeezed the nearby shoulder in sympathy even if she didn't know what had caused the flood of emotion. "Agent Bering. I'm so sorry..."

"No. No. I'm sorry. I'm a little on edge." Myka stopped talking and focused on driving and calming her emotions. She was not doing particularly well on either front.

"Agent Bering... Do you have a first name?"

"Myka."

"Myka. There is a Diner up the road a bit. Please lets just stop. Get some decent food in you and take a minute to get our bearings. Okay?" Emily tried to sound as reasonable as possible in the face of complete unpredictability. In fact, the further along in this completely insane day she got the calmer she felt. "Please."

Knowing it was probably a good idea, Myka nodded her head.


	4. Chapter 4

Here we go again...

Chapter 4

Sitting in the a booth in the far back of the diner Emily sat with her hands folded on the table top staring at Myka as the other woman shifted in her chair constantly trying to see everything in the room at once. It was actually rather disturbing. "You look like you have ADD. I might have some pills for that in my purse. The Principal supplies us with surplus in case the kids get out of control."

Myka's eyes darted to Emily's in alarm. "What? You have what?"

Leaning forward Emily smiled. "I'm joking Myka. But you're squirming around in your seat is rather distracting. At the very least our waitress is going to remember us as the two women with the mental disorder."

Being less memorable was better than causing any kind of scene so Myka tried to calm her frayed nerves and sit still. "You are right. I need to calm down. Thank you."

"Good." Just then their waitress delivered their orders and quickly retreated. Emily waited till Myka picked up her fork after a very pointed look that worked just as well on her students as it apparently did on Secret Service Agents. Once her table mate seemed to start eating with a little more enthusiasm only then did Emily start on her own meal.

"So where are we headed to?"

Even as she forced herself to eat and sit still in her seat Myka's eyes continued to watch the room around them. "We probably shouldn't talk details where we can be heard."

Emily pushed a piece of fruit around on her plate. She wasn't hungry but thought participating in the meal would make the agitated woman across from her more likely to eat her own food. "Okay. Then tell me about me." Getting a closed look for her efforts to engage the other woman Emily sighed. "Well what can we talk about?"

Myka looked strait at the woman across from her and felt her heart clench. Here was Helena – Emily - alive and well looking at her eagerly like nothing bad had ever happened in the world. "Tell me about you. About your life."

The intensity of green eyes staring at her like she was either a miracle or a nightmare gave Emily pause. She could tell there were very dark things going on behind those eyes. The dark circles and pale complexion lending themselves to a sorrowful expression. An expression Emily very much wanted to change for reasons she couldn't quite fathom. If she gave herself just half a second to think about the insanity of running off with a complete stranger she would probably have herself committed. At the very least her therapist was going to have a fit when, if, she told him. But for the next few days she had nothing to lose and no one waiting on her besides an angry hungry cat. She was willing to take a chance on her gut instinct telling her she could trust this woman and perhaps find out some real truths about her own past.

"Very well. I will talk. You eat." Setting her fork down and taking a sip of tea, Emily tipped her head toward Myka's plate and waited a beat before the other woman complied by taking a showy bite of sandwich to prove she was eating. Giving a chuckle Emily began talking about the first thing that came to mind. She wasn't particularly interested in her own tale but if it kept the other woman eating she would indulge her. Remembering that Myka had admitted to knowing her in the past she surmised she wanted to know how she had been since the accident and coming to Cheyenne. "Well, after my... accident and recovery, I got a position teaching English and Literature here at the high school. Obviously, since that is where you found me..."

Myka watched Emily's gaze shift down to stare at the contents of her cup as her voice trailed away. "And do you like teaching?"

Emily smiled and looked back up to meet kind eyes that seemed to genuinely want to know about her life and not in the morbid 'you've lost your memory how does that work' kinda way that she so often got when people found out about her. "I really do. The kids are a challenge at times, but I love sharing with them all of the stories that have always just been a part of me." Seeing that Myka was eating and listening attentively, Emily rewarded her by continuing to talk randomly about her life. What it was like to teach teenagers. Having fresh scones from the bakery down the street on Sunday mornings. The embarrassment of realizing she often spoke to her cat, Dickens, as if he could actually answer back. Her aborted attempt to join a book club at the local library until she realized that it was nothing more than a singles get together. "I'm mean really. If I wanted to find a date I would. I was there to read and discuss the books! But I was certainly the only one!"

The obvious annoyance made Myka laugh, "I would have felt the same way Emily. Believe me."

"Right? I'm mean come on. Just sign up to like the rest of us do and meet someone online! Leave the books out of it!"

This made Myka smile somewhat sadly. Helena had never been so open. So willing to share things about herself.

Emily caught the look of sadness that briefly crossed the other woman's face and couldn't help but ask, "Whats is it?"

"Nothing nothing. Please go on." Making a dismissive gesture, Myka shook her head in denial that anything could possibly be wrong. As Emily continued to talk Myka slowly ate her meal. Each bite made her stomach hurt and each word made her heart hurt. Finally unable to put another bite in her mouth she crumpled up her napkin and dropped it on her plate.

Emily knew the woman across from her was not really listening any longer, but more importantly she could see she was starting to look more ill than before. The food had not seemed to help. Perhaps only a great deal of uninterrupted sleep would erase the dark circles under the agent's eyes. She suspected it would take far more than sleep to erase the sadness that lingered behind the green irises. "Shall we head out then?"

"Yeah." Throwing enough money on the table to cover the cost of their food and a tip, Myka lead them outside to the rental car. Unlocking the passenger side door she held it open for Emily to get in but the other woman hesitated.

"I think I should drive." Seeing Myka immediately begin to frown Emily hurried to justify her statement. "You are clearly exhausted, and can just as easily give me directions from the passenger seat." As Myka continued to hesitate, Emily pulled out her wallet flashing her drivers license. "See, even the state of Wyoming trusts me to drive."

Glancing at the name Emily Hannah Lake, Myka grimaced before extending her hand holding the keys and carefully dropping them into Emily's open palm. "Don't make me regret this."

Grinning, Emily shifted to hold the door while Myka climbed into the passenger seat. "Of course you wont. I've only been issued one ticket for reckless driving." Then she quickly pushed the door closed before Myka could respond. Coming around the front of the car she let herself into the driver side grinning at the deep frown on the other woman's face. "I was joking."

"You aren't funny."

Emily adjusted the seat to suit her slightly shorter legs before reaching out to start the car. "Lighten up a little Myka."

"This isn't a joke Hel – Emily!" Myka practically ripped the seat belt off its bracket as she pull it around herself angry at her near slip. She had been doing so well not thinking of the woman beside her as Helena. Emily Hannah Lake. The school teacher with a faulty memory. Clasping her hands in her lap she took a deep breath before turning to look at the woman sitting in the drivers seat. "Nothing about this is a joke Emily. Lives are at stake Including yours."

Emily gracefully accepted the chastisement. "I apologize. Now where are we going? You have a destination in mind correct?"

"Yes. Get back on the interstate heading east. We will stay on that for an hour or so before taking state highway 59 south. You should start seeing signs for Langs Cabins and Campsites." Myka adjusted her own seat so she could stretch out her legs and lean back a little as Emily began steering them out of the parking lot. "If you decide you want to switch just say so. I can still drive..."

"I've got it Myka." Having stopped at a red light, Emily looked over at the exhausted woman in the passenger seat. Without thought she brushed a stray curl out of the Agent's face. "Just rest a bit okay?"

Catching Emily's hand before she could pull it all the way back to rest on the steering wheel, Myka gave it a tight squeeze. "I'm okay Emily. I will keep you safe. That's a promise."

Smiling, Emily pulled her hand away somewhat reluctantly as she began driving when the light turned green. There was something so fierce in Myka's statement that Emily felt safer in that moment than she could remember being before even knowing they were on the run from and unknown villain apparently intent on doing her harm. "I believe you."


	5. Chapter 5

Here we go again...

Chapter 5

Myka slowly woke up to the sound of tires, traffic, and rain. Waking slowing was unusual for her. She was normally an instantly alert kind of person. Waking in a moving vehicle was equally abnormal. It only took a few moments of assessing her own body to realize how completely exhausted she still was. Her muscles ached, a persistent feeling of nausea lingered, and she was certain her body was slightly feverish. Unless... opening her eyes she took in the sight of Helena's profile. Unless Helena, Emily, had cranked the heat in the car to its max. But if the other woman's cool exterior as she concentrated on driving was any indication the car heater was not the cause of her feeling over heated. Something else was making her feel sicker than she could remember being in years.

Becoming more alert Myka took the time to indulge herself and stare at Emily before the other woman noticed she was awake. A chance to observe her unaware. Her hands were carefully placed at ten and two o'clock on the steering wheel and her posture was one of upright concentration. Emily Lake looked like a woman who had recently learned to drive and still consciously followed all her instructions to the tee. Not a woman who had learned to drive at 16 and could swig Mountain Dew while switching radio stations and steering with one knee. Letting out a small sigh, Myka shifted to sit up a little in her seat as she once again had the realization of how wrong Helena's punishment had been.

"Hey, you're awake." Emily glanced over at her passenger noting that Myka did not look much more rested than before. "How are you feeling?"

Myka started to answer, but had to clear her throat before she could. "Fine."

"Hmmm." Emily made a noncommittal noise at the obvious lie but decided not to pursue it. "Well, we've been on highway 59 for about 20 minutes and I think we are nearing your camp ground. Tell me, do we need supplies for this adventure? If so we probably need to stop in the next town to buy them."

Myka stared blankly out the windshield momentarily distracted by the rhythmic movement of the windshield wipers. How had she not covered that angle? How had she not planned for them to survive a weekend in a rental cabin in the woods without food or well, anything!

"Myka?"

"Yes." Pressing her palm against her forehead, Myka tried to push away the headache that was throbbing in odd counter point to the windshield wipers. "Yes, we need to get some supplies... Food. Cloths? Toothbrushes?"

Emily did a double take but declined to comment on the seeming lack of a plan. "Very well. We will stop at the next town and see what we can get."

Myka began peeling her jacket off mildly embarrassed by the sweat stains and wrinkled state of her dress shirt but couldn't stand the heat any more. "When did it start raining? It was so sunny last time..."

"About half an hour ago. The weather report said chance of rain in the area later in the day. Guess it came a little early."

That statement made Myka grin as she imagined Emily watching the morning news to plan her day while feeding her cat. The domestic scene slowly merged with HG's look of distaste when told about her body living a domesticated life without her and Myka's smile melted away. "Thank you for driving."

Emily cast a smile at the woman in the passenger seat. "No problem. I'm glad you got some rest."

Myka slumped back down in her seat as exhaustion and fever weighted her limbs. "Its very hot in here..."

Frowning slightly, Emily reached out to turn on the fan to allow some cooler air to flow into the car despite thinking the temperature was perfectly fine. She could easily see that her passenger was not fine. How exactly she had gone from being 'taken into protective custody' to driving the get away car she wasn't sure. But she was committed to the adventure and felt more concern for Myka than she did for herself and any imagined bad guys that may be looking for her.

The small town near the camp ground was only another 15 minutes down the road but Myka had dozed off again. She came awake with a start as Emily hit a pot hole in the parking lot of what appeared to be a small town grocery store. The rain had slowed to a drizzle but the bright sun from earlier in the day had not broken through the heavy clouds making it seem later than just early afternoon.

"Sorry, I didn't realize how deep it was." Pulling into a parking spot Emily turned off the wipers and headlights but left the motor running. Turning to look at Myka she reached out and pressed her hand against Myka's forehead frowning when the other woman tried to squirm away from her touch. "Just let me." After only a second she let her hand fall back to her own lap. "Myka, you are burning up. Why don't you wait in the car while I get us a few things, including something for your fever. I will leave the heater running-"

"Not a chance." Sitting up, Myka began to pull her jacket back on missing Emily's wide eyed look at the sight of her service weapon in its holster. "Lets do this quick though."

Sighing at the woman's stubbornness, Emily had to scramble out of the car to keep up with Myka. Pulling an umbrella out of her bag she quickly opened it and dashed around the front of the car to where Myka was leaning heavily against the passenger side. "Are you all right?" Gripping the umbrella in one hand to protect them from the drizzling rain she used the other to steady Myka's wobbly stance.

As soon as Myka had stood up from the car she felt things begin to spin. As her vision blurred around the edges she gripped the side of the car with one hand and immediately latched onto Emily with the other when the woman arrived at her side. After a minute things settled and she could focus her gaze on the worried brown eyes staring intently at her. Loosening her hold on the car as well as Emily's arm she tried to smile despite a very strong urge to throw up. "I'm all right."

"I really don't think you are, but I can tell you are going to try and do this your way." Shifting, she threaded her arm through Myka's and began gingerly making her way across the puddle filled parking lot still using the umbrella to protect them both from the continuing drizzly rain. "Are you always this stubborn?"

Myka chuckled without much humor as she held on to the woman at her side with more need than she was willing to admit. "Like you are one to talk."

The clear familiarity of the statement caused Emily to stare at Myka's profile briefly but she didn't pursue it. She had a plan. Get them to this camp ground and then Agent Bering was going to tell her everything she knew about Emily's past. Entering the store she closed the umbrella. "You push the cart. You can use it to help you stand up."

Gripping the handle of the cart, Myka grimly followed Emily through the aisles of the store mindlessly agreeing to any item the other woman selected. She knew she had slipped. Was slipping. She needed to get them to the cabin. Out of the way. Out of sight. Just for the next few days.


	6. Chapter 6

So here I am waiting for Hurricane Sandy to cancel work tomorrow... wonder how many story updates I can complete before losing power... I'm just saying. :)

Here we go again

part 6

Myka leaned forward trying to spot the sign with their cabin number on it among the overhanging branches. The rain had picked up again making their task harder. After their impromptu shopping trip they had arrived at their destination in short order and Myka, insisting she felt better, had gone in to the managers building to sort out their rental making Emily wait in the car. She had selected a cabin far away from any other building so she would be able to know that any other vehicles arriving wasn't going to be friendly neighbors.

Emily drove slowly down the narrow path that passed for a road within the campground. Myka had tried to take over driving, but the other woman had insisted that she would continue to do it. Knowing when to pick her battles Myka had subsided and played navigator. "There. On the right."

"Ah, got it." Emily, ever the conscientious driver, clicked on her blinker despite their being alone on the secluded road.

Hiding her smile, Myka let out a sigh of relief. She may have been feeling better thanks to a large dose of cold and flu medication purchased at the grocery store, but she still wanted nothing more than to hunker down for the next 36 hours. With Emily...

Pulling up in front of their cabin Emily put the car in park and shut off the engine. "Well, thats... charming."

Frowning at the woman beside her Myka gathered up the few things she had with her before reaching for the door handle. "Sorry its not the Ritz. I was going for secluded."

Getting out of the car, Emily joined Myka at the trunk to pull out the bags of groceries. And toothbrushes. Holding her umbrella over them both as Myka leaned into the trunk she couldn't help quipping, "It doesn't have to be the Ritz but spider free would be nice."

Slamming the trunk closed, Myka began walking toward the cabin without waiting for Emily to protect her from the continuing rain. Tossing over her shoulder she spoke with disdain, "Really? Spiders?"

"Don't judge me." Following Myka up the three steps to the cabin's front porch, Emily took in the comfortable looking rocking chairs flanking a low table to one side of the door and the pile of neatly stacked firewood on the other.

"Of course not." Tossing her quip over her shoulder as she opened the door and flicked on the light she let out a large sigh of relief. She had no more desire to stay the next couple days in a run down cabin full of bugs than Emily did, though she would never admit it to out loud. The interior of the cabin was all that she had hoped for and nothing that they both apparently feared. Comfortable furniture, a modern kitchen, and a king sized bed filled the one room space. With the warm overhead light she could see it was spotless and spiderweb free. Turning to Emily she grinned, "There! Nothing to worry about."

Emily stood beside Myka taking in the space. "It looks lovely... Will we be sharing a bed then?"

Myka nearly swallowed her tongue, "Excuse me?"

Laughing at the slightly bug eyed look on the other woman's face, Emily couldn't resist teasing, "There does seem to be just one bed... Did you not plan that as well Agent Bering? Because I can't say as that I mind all that much..."

"I... I... no, you..."

Emily laughed heartily as she stepped around Myka's frozen form to set the bags in her hands down on the kitchen counter. "Relax. I'm just teasing you." Letting her eyes travel down Myka's form she gave one more tweak, "Unless you are interested."

Gathering herself, Myka stalked to the kitchen area and set her own bags down beside Emily's on the counter. "I say again Ms. Lake, this is not a joke. Lives are at stake."

Marginally chastised, Emily began putting their purchases away in the refrigerator or cupboard as appropriate. "Forgive me Myka. I just... this doesn't seem real. You know?"

Watching Emily efficiently putting their things away, Myka snagged the bag of toiletries and headed toward the one door in the room assuming it lead to the bathroom. She had been promised indoor pluming after all. "Its okay... just please, take this seriously..." Speaking loud enough to be heard in the other room, Myka took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She looked terrible. Dark circles under her eyes and pale skin a testament to how long she had been on the go. She was glad the fever and body aches had eased. She could only hope it was a simple case of the flu, but suspected disturbing side effects from their trip through time. She would have to check if Pete and Artie were having similar symptoms.

Finished putting their meager supplies away, Emily crumbled up the plastic bags and tucked them into a drawer. When Myka returned from the bathroom Emily smiled apologetically. "I am sorry. This is just... so outside my world. You know? This morning my life was, well, regular. And now I am on the run with my very own spy slash protector sweeping me away on an unexpected adventure. I don't think I could have come up with this plot in a hundred years!"

Myka turned her back at Emily's words and ran a hand through her hair. In a rough voice she responded despite herself, "I bet you could come up with something more original."

Frowning, Emily blindly began filling the tea kettle and placed it on the stove to heat. Could Myka know? She hadn't told anyone... Turning back around she glared at Myka's back as the woman stood by the window staring out at the gray rainy landscape. She couldn't take it anymore. All the strange thoughts and feelings she tried so hard to keep suppressed in order to 'fit in' to the life she woke up to pressed down on Emily in that moment making her voice far harsher than she intended. "Alright. I have been very patient so far Agent Bering. Now its time for you to fulfill your end of the bargain. Who am I?"

Myka turned her head to the side so she could just see Emily standing with her hands on her hips but didn't turn around to face her. "You are Emily Lake. High School English teacher... Cat owner. No family?" At this Myka turned fully to face the other woman checking for a reaction. She honestly didn't know how extensive a past the Regents had given Emily, but she could easily tell from the stormy expression on the other woman's face that all her words had been true.

Emily clenched her hands in frustration. "I know those things Myka. What ELSE is there? Because... because this can't be all there is!"

Sighing Myka stepped away from the window and took off her jacket before sitting down on the couch resting her elbows on her knees. Letting out a long sigh she looked up at Emily. "What do you mean?"

Waiving a hand around her Emily let lose her frustration, "Is this all life is? Just this little existence? In my little world? Because because..." Not sure what to do she crossed the room quickly and sat down beside Myka. Clenching her hands into fists she looked across the room unable to meet the other woman's gaze, "There are things in my head... ideas, feelings... events. I've never told anyone Myka, but I... I write them down. Like they are stories, but I don't think I'm making them up, I think I'm remembering them, but I don't know how! They are crazy things!" Finally turning her head she met Myka's concerned eyes, her own begging for answers.

Raising one hand Myka gently touched the other woman's cheek and smiled reassuringly. "I don't know if they are real things Emily. They might be, but you always had an amazing imagination too... you were a writer you know."

"What?" Emily was completely taken aback. In her mind, in her stories, she was so much more... Hearing the tea kettle begin to whistle she stood and moved back to the kitchen area.

Myka watched the other woman clearly processing what she had said and not in a good way. "You know, if every little thing I tell you sends you scurrying away we will never get anywhere." Emily looked up at her but said nothing. "You worked with me, as a... consultant, for the government."

Emily's hands stilled as she watched Myka rolling up her sleeves while talking. "Please. Go on."

Pulling out her service weapon, Myka checked the clip and safety before setting it on the low table in front of her. "We worked on a number of dangerous missions together, and we... were friends. Close friends."

Emily frowned at the tone in Myka's voice. She was unable to identify all the emotion behind it, but the sorrow was more than evident. "What happened?"

"You betrayed us."

Emily could practically feel her jaw drop. The tone in Myka's voice frightened her more in that moment than anything else that had happened that day. Her eyes quickly darted to the gun lying on the table. Setting the kettle down with a gentle thump she began slowly making her way around the end of the counter separating the kitchen area from the rest of the cabin. "Now... Myka..."

Looking up quickly, Myka was surprised to see Emily obviously edging her way away from her toward the door. "Oh! No, its okay!" Standing she stopped moving when Emily raised her hands in surrender with a deer in headlights look. "Its okay! You paid your penance for that! I forgave you. And...there were reason you did it. You had been traumatized..." Seeing Emily dart her eyes toward the door Myka tried to leap around the end table and block her escape but was just a little too slow. "Emily! Stop!"

As the front door banged shut behind the fleeing woman Myka quickly followed. Crossing the porch Myka sighed before dashing into the pouring rain after the woman who seemed surprisingly fast as she ran in high heels across the uneven and muddy driveway toward the road.


	7. Chapter 7

Here we go again...

part 7

While Emily was quick, Myka was fast. She caught up to the other woman just as she reached the end of their cabin driveway and had turned onto the muddy campground road. Dashing full tilt Myka grabbed the other woman around the waist and forced her to a halt. "Stop!"

"No! I haven't done anything! I'm just a school teacher!" Completely disproving her words, Emily instinctively grabbed Myka's left arm and twisted it while using one leg to swipe Myka's out from under her. The quick move ended with Myka laying on her back looking up the length of her own arm bent at a decidedly uncomfortable angle to meet Emily's horrified gaze.

When Emily quickly released her hold and stumbled back Myka rolled onto her knees and tried to stand up while rubbing her now sore arm. Shouting over the steady sound of rain pouring down in the secluded forest around them, "No you aren't! You aren't just a school teacher and you know it!"

Pushing soaked hair back from her face Emily stared silently into Myka's eyes reading the truth in them. Wrapping her own arms around her waist she shook her head trying to deny the dark conclusions she was reaching as Myka's words gelled with her own strange thoughts and actions since waking up with amnesia a year ago.

"You know you are more than that." Myka spoke with complete sincerity. No mater who Emily thought she was, school teacher or writer, they both knew deep in their souls that she was so very much more.

When Myka moved to touch her Emily took a step back and her hands lifted into a defensive position. "Then what the hell am I?! Huh? Who am I?!"

Realizing that her tumble to the ground had not been a fluke but Helena's muscle memory from years of defensive training protecting her even if Emily had no idea she was performing basic Kempo moves brought Myka up short. Raising her own arms in surrender as not to be a threat Myka spoke over the sound of the rain. "You are strong. And smart. You are amazing! You are all I wish I could be!" Myka's voice gentled. "You are my hero."

Seeing the soaked woman in front of her drop her stance slightly Myka carefully reached out to grasp Emily's arm letting her fingers slide down till she could wrap her fingers loosely around a thin wrist. "You are my friend."

Giving the arm in Myka's grasp a quick twist Emily reversed the woman's hold easily clamping her own fingers tightly around the wrist in her hand knowing it was leaving bruises but not seeming to care. Stepping into Myka's personal space Emily spoke fiercely. "I ran... because when I looked at your gun on the table I knew, I KNEW that I could pick it up and press it against your forehead and pull the trigger." Emily's anger was a direct result of her incredible fear of what she didn't know about herself but had begun to suspect. "I have never even seen a real gun before today! But I knew it! I could see myself doing it! So I ask again WHAT AM I?!"

Frustrated and concerned about their being out on the road despite its seeming isolation Myka decided she had had enough. Emily may have had Helena's muscle memory for self defense but Myka was a well trained Agent up to date on all her skills at taking down suspects. In a move so quick Emily didn't see it coming their arm positions were once again reversed and this time Myka spun Emily around and cinched the appendage up behind the woman's back while using her other arm to tightly grip her around the throat from behind. Speaking directly into Emily's ear she said, "I say again: you are my friend. I am here to help you. And if you would stop FREAKING OUT I will explain!" Squeezing just enough to let the woman in her arms know she meant it Myka gentled her voice but not her grip. "Will you please come back to the cabin with me?"

Literally shaking with fear and adrenalin Emily turned her head to see Myka's face over her shoulder. What she saw brought her up short. A stream of blood mixed with rain was spreading a pink stain from the taller woman's nose down her chin and onto the collar of her soaked blouse. "Your bleeding."

"What?" The unexpected words caused Myka to loosen her hold and pull back slightly.

"Your nose. Its bleeding. Did I...?"

Letting go of Emily with one hand Myka used it to touch her face looking down at her own now bloody fingertips. "No. You didn't..." In a flash Myka felt herself feeling like she was about to pass out and wavered on her feet. The only thing keeping her up in that moment was Emily who had shifted from being held captive to holding her up right. "I don't feel well..."

Protective instincts kicking in Emily began walking a stumbling Myka back toward their cabin. The closer they got the more weight Myka began putting on her till they practically fell up the steps and in the front door. Pushing Myka down on the couch Emily quickly grabbed a couple of towels from the bathroom before sitting down beside her.

Myka pressed one of the offered towels to her nose to stem the bleeding while Emily briskly began attempting to dry Myka's hair. "Stop that." Swatting at the other woman's hand Myka tried to shift away.

"Shut up and let me. You are soaked and sick and I'm... I don't know what. So just shut up." After a few minutes she let the damp towel rest over Myka's shoulders and dropped her hands limply to her lap. "Is it slowing?"

Pulling the towel away from her face Myka tilted her head back a little before replacing it. "Yeah. I think so."

They sat in silence for a few minutes eying one another over the towel pressed against Myka's face. Both soaked and tired and confused. "So am I a ninja or what?" The flat serious tone in her voice belayed the humor in Emily's words.

"No you are not." Myka checked the towel again to see the bleeding had slowed to a trickle "And you didn't do this."

"But I knocked you on your butt."

Nodding grimly, Myka sighed. "Muscle memory perhaps... You are trained in a style of martial arts called Kempo." When Emily just looked at her blankly, Myka continued. "You have trained for years in the form. Your body remembers how to do it even if your mind no longer does."

"Myka..." Emily rubbed her hands nervously on her thighs as she thought about the clues to her own life that had been revealed. "Is my amnesia, the accident, a cover story?"

"Yes."

"Heh. Well." Emily stood and paced in front of the coffee table her hand fiddling with a necklace she wasn't wearing. "So I'm a former government agent, who betrayed you, lost her memory, and then was put into witness protection."

"Something like that. Yes." Myka answered before checking the towel again. Myka tossed it onto the table in front of her when she saw her nose had stopped staining it red. She shouldn't have been surprised at how quickly Emily was wrapping her head around things. Muscle memory.

Turning to face Myka with her hands on her hips, Emily continued connecting the dots. "And now someone from my past thinks I know something and is coming to get me for the information. But you, against your superiors knowledge I suspect, have come to collect me before they can get a hold of me."

Myka had the distinct feeling she was being reprimanded by her teacher. "That pretty much sums it up."

Running a hand through her hair Emily sighed, "I seriously doubt it." Looking down at Myka's fairly pathetic countenance Emily did not feel reassured. "How are you feeling?"

Pressing one palm to her forehead Myka grimaced. "Honestly I feel terrible. Can you grab the cold medicine off the counter?"

Getting the bottle of red liquid, Emily handed it over and watched as Myka took a swig. "Is it helping?"

"It helped earlier." Shrugging, Myka flopped back against the sofa cushions feeling utterly drained. "Are you going to run again?"

Firming her shoulders, Emily reminded herself that this woman had clues to her own past. Even if so far all answers had been utterly terrifying. "No. I'm not. We had a deal Agent Bering. I come with you. You tell me about my past. So far you've been keeping up your end."

Despite her best intentions, Myka felt her head lolling back against the sofa and her eyes growing heavy. "I'm good like that."

Moving over to the sofa, Emily reached out a hand to Myka who was growing more drowsy by the minute. "Come. Get comfortable on the bed Myka. We are safe in this secluded cabin for now."

"No... I need to protect you..." Feeling herself tugged to her feet Myka let herself be pulled across the room and pushed down to sit on the edge of the bed. Watching as Emily pulled off each of her boots and socks. When the woman reached for the waist band of her jeans Myka tried to catch her hands. "No..."

"Myka, you are soaked. Take these off and I will hang them up to dry." Getting a firmly stubborn look that was actually kind of endearing, Emily grinned. "Take off your pants and I will bring you your gun."

Myka's eyes widened when she realized she had left the weapon laying on the coffee table. Glancing over Emily's shoulder the thought of crossing that distance on legs that felt like they weighed a thousand pounds was more than she could contemplate. Meeting Emily's sincere gaze she questioned in a slurred voice as each word she spoke made the throb in her head intensify, "You promise?"

Seeing acquiescence in that green gaze, Emily smiled as she proceeded to undo Myka's jeans. "Yes. I promise. You get into bed and I will bring you the gun."

Getting no more protest, Emily stripped Myka to her underwear and pushed and prodded till the sick woman was under the blankets. True to her word she got the hand gun and gingerly placed it on the night stand beside the bed. Prodding Myka till bleary eyes focused she pointed it out. "See Myka. Its right there. Now just rest okay?"

Myka nodded, but reached a uncoordinated hand out to catch Emily's forearm. "I can't loose you again."

Shifting to hold Myka's hand, Emily used the other to push damp hair away from Myka's face. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."


End file.
